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Pediatric Battery-Related Emergency Department Visits in the United States: 2010-2019
Mark D Chandler1, Khudeja Ilyas1, Kris R Jatana2,3
1Safe Kids Worldwide, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Insights
Pediatric emergency department visits for battery-related injuries increased significantly from 2010-2017, especially in young children. Safer button battery designs and regulatory efforts are needed to reduce these preventable injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric emergency medicine
- Public health surveillance
- Consumer product safety
Background:
- Battery-related injuries are a significant concern in pediatric populations.
- Previous studies indicated a need for updated epidemiological data on these incidents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the epidemiology of battery-related emergency department (ED) visits among children younger than 18 years in the United States from 2010 to 2019.
- To compare current findings with previous study data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) for ED visits.
- Battery-related cases were categorized by exposure route: ingestion, mouth, ear, or nasal insertion.
Main Results:
- An estimated 70,322 pediatric ED visits for battery-related injuries occurred between 2010 and 2019.
- Button batteries were involved in 84.7% of incidents; ingestions accounted for 90.0% of visits.
- ED visit rates significantly increased from 2010 to 2017, particularly in children aged 5 years and younger.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric battery-related ED visit rates showed a significant upward trend until 2017.
- Current prevention strategies have not effectively reduced injury rates, necessitating regulatory action.
- Safer button battery design and industry adoption are crucial for hazard reduction.
Objectives:
To describe the epidemiology of battery-related emergency department (ED) visits among children aged <18 years in the United States from 2010 to 2019 and compare with previous study findings.
Methods:
Data on ED visits were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Using narrative descriptions and diagnosis codes, battery-related cases were coded into four exposure routes: (1) ingestion, (2) mouth exposure, (3) ear insertion, and (4) nasal insertion.
Results:
An estimated 70 322 (95% confidence interval: 51 275-89 369) battery-related ED visits among children aged <18 years occurred during the study period, or 9.5 per 100 000 children annually. Button batteries were implicated in 84.7% of visits where battery type was described. A statistically significant increase in the ED visit rate occurred from 2010 to 2017 (P = .03), followed by a nonstatistically significant decrease from 2017 to 2019. The ED visit rate was highest among children aged ≤5 years compared with those 6 to 17 years (24.5 and 2.2 per 100 000 children, respectively). The mean patient age was 3.2 years (95% confidence interval: 2.9-3.4). Ingestions accounted for 90.0% of ED visits, followed by nasal insertions (5.7%), ear insertions (2.5%), and mouth exposures (1.8%).
Conclusions:
Pediatric battery-related ED visit rates continued to significantly increase from 2010 to 2017, with children aged ≤5 years having the highest rates. Prevention efforts have not significantly reduced injury rates; therefore, regulatory efforts are needed. Ultimately, hazard reduction or elimination through safer button battery design is critical and should be adopted by the battery industry.
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